Detachable heel



7- a. M. HARPER 2,090,999

DETACHABLE HEEL Filed Aug. 12, 1935 wen? ' IBIVENTEIF? 1 i 4 EJY a7 AT KSL ENEYE Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

1 Claim.

This invention has reference to devices and a method for detachably affixing rubber heels on shoes, and has for its principal object to provide means for detachably afiixing a rubber heel upon a shoe and novel means for positioning the attachment mechanism upon the heel of the shoe.

A further object of my invention is to provide a rubber heel which may be applied to the heel of a shoe, worn for a certain length of time and then transposed as between the shoes whereby a heel being Worn on one side is transferred to a shoe of the opposite foot to present a less worn surface to that part of the heel which is subjected to the greatest wear, whereby the abrasion incident towearing is applied in a manner to wear the heel surfaces evenly.

Rubber heels on shoes are well known, and many means of attaching them have been utilized, but the only means which has been widely used consists of simply nailing the heels to the shoes, with or without adhesives to assist in holding the rubber heel on the shoe.

It is further well known that rubber heels in use are subjected to such severe stresses and abrasion as to require sturdy fastening and frequent replacement.

In commerce the use of rubber heels on womens shoes has been considerably limited due to the difiiculty of attaching the rubber heels, on shoe heels having a relatively small bearing area, in a manner to resist the stresses incident to normal use and to permit frequent replacement incident to wear.

The use of nails in applying rubber heels to the small heels of womens shoes, which are usually made from wood, often results in splitting the shoe heel which entails the labor and expense of supplying a new shoe heel. Further, in the event that i the first pair of rubber heels are successively applied and worn, they are quite rapidly worn to a condition where they are no longer suitable for use and must be replaced. The shoe heel, having been already damaged to a certain extent by the nails of the original rubber heels are seldom in condition to stand the additional mutilation caused by the nails of the new ones. In View of the foregoing it will be apparent that the expense and trouble entailed in attempting to use rubber heels on women's shoes discourages extensive acceptance by the trade.

I have now discovered and herein disclose a simple and practicable means for detachably affixing rubber heels, of which the following is descriptive, to the end that rubber heels may 0 companying drawing in which;

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a plate member to be attached to the heel of a shoe.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the under side of a rubber heel member embodying an element of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational view of the same taken on line lt of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing a rubber heel of my construction attached to the heel of a shoe.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a gauge or templet member intended to beused in positioning the device on the heel of a shoe; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective View showing the heel of a shoe with the templet member applied thereto and the plate member shown in Fig. 1 positioned within the gauge surfaces of the templet ready to be attached to the heel of the shoe as will be hereinafter described.

My device comprises a plate member ll], preferably made from metal, which is fashioned to have upturned portions H disposed in suitable position as will be explained, it being further provided with snap fastener elements I2, which latter are also disposed in any manner which seems best for the purpose described.

The fastener elements I2 may be used in conjunction with upstanding clip portions [3 which 9 are adapted to serve a purpose similar to fasteners l2, or the fasteners l2 may be omitted and the Fig. 4, and the surrounding rubber is so placed as to completely imbed the portions It.

It is to be noted that the rubber heel assembly is formed to have its outer edges lie at a slight angle with reference to its central portion so as to have a dished shape on the side carrying the plate l5. The function of this will be explained shortly.

Plate i5 has openings H, which are disposed to be placed in register with portions l l of plate in whereby the plate l5 and heel 14 may be placed and held in register with plate 10, the portions ll forming dowel members for proper location and support against sliding movement ings IS in a. manner to oppose removal of plate l5 from plate l0.

Plate IS, in addition to the opening noted, may be provided with fastener elements l9 which 5 are adapted to co-operate with fastener elements l2 of plate ID to hold the plates in proper asso ciation.

The fastening devices described may obviously be distributed as desired, it being only required 10 that they 'be of sufiicient strength to properly hold the rubber heel on the shoe. The plates Ill and I5 may be of any size or shape required to render them applicable to any size or style of shoe.

For obvious reasons, it is desirable to have the plate l0 positioned on the shoe heels in an accurate and uniform manner so that the rubber heels attached thereto may be transposed to opposite shoes.

In order to provide this interchange feature the plates IR must be placed in exactly the same relative position on both heels.

Since it is intended, or at least quite possible, that the plates Hl may be applied to the shoes by unskilled persons, it will be clear that the Work of applying the plates to the heels in the accurate manner required may be found difficult of accomplishment, and in order to facilitate the work of placing the plates in an accurate and uniform manner I provide a templet or gauge member 20, shown in perspective in Fig. 6. The templet is preferably made from heavy cardboard of other inexpensive material. One or two templets are included with each pair of heel assemblies when sold.

The outer periphery of the templet is made to I conform to the size and shape of shoe heels as they are found on the market and the inner periphery is formed to fit the outer periphery of 49 a plate ll) of dimensions suitable to the heel.

When it is desired to attach my rubber heels to a pair of shoes, a templet of suitable outside dimensions is selected and temporarily attached to the shoe heel with its edges as in register with the outer surface of the heel. A plate It is placed in the opening of the templet and permanently attached to the shoe. It will be ap parent that the plate will be positioned in a definite predetermined location on the shoe.

50 The templet is next removed and similarly attached to the other shoe and a similar plate is attached, after which the templet is removed and may be discarded. This method of positioning the plates insures that the plates are positioned in exactly the same location on each heel.

Rubber heels of corresponding size are next applied to the affixed plates. The dowels ll engaged in the openings ll, forming sturdy means for holding the rubber heel in position, while the fasteners l2 or l3, or both if used, act to hold the rubber heel in association with the shoe heel. Thus the rubber heels are attached in a manner to stand the stress of ordinary use and are yet easily detachable without special tools.

Since both the shoe heels and the rubber heels are of uniform size and the rubber heels are uniformly located, the latter are interchangeable and may be transposed, as noted, without alteration of appearance of the shoes.

. It is well known that the heels of the average user wear rapidly on the outside. With my device, the rubber heels may be transposed to opposite shoes so that the least worn side is exposed to the greatest abrasion. The rubber heels may obviously be transposed as often as desired, by the user himself without special tools, so as to promote even wear on both heels.

In view of standardization and consequent interchangeability of the rubber heels, it will be apparent that new heels may be supplied and instantly attached to a pair of shoes without 10 removal or alteration of the plates H A plate ID of standard dimensions may obviously be applied to heels of many sizes, it being only necessary that the plate be somewhat smaller than the heel. Thus a relatively small 15 number of standard sizes of plates may be made to cover the relatively large number of shapes and sizes of shoe heels found in commerce.

The templets would usually be used once and discarded and, as above noted, these are inex- 20 pensive and are made to conform to the various shapes and sizes of shoe heels in their outside dimensions while their inside dimensions are held to those of standard plates.

Mention has been made of the dished form of 25 the rubber heels.

Fig. 5 illustrates, in dotted outline that when the rubber heel is placed upon the shoe heel, the edges of the former contact the heel surface along the edges before the rubber heel is pressed into 30 locked position. Upon application of pressure such as standing on the heel, the outer edges are forced backwardly so as to be in general alignment with the body of the heel, as indicated in solid lines. It will be apparent that the edges of the heel, being thus deformed are pressed into close, tight contact with the shoe heel, whereby the contacting edges are substantially sealed to prevent entrance of moisture and dirt between the members. 4Q

Mention has also been made of the difiiculty of successfully using rubber heels in connection with women's shoes.

Use of my device on womens shoes makes the use of rubber heels thereon quite practicable. It 45 is but necessary to attach the original plate Ill to the heel, after which the rubber heels may be transposed or replaced with new ones without damage to the shoe.

The foregoing will make apparent the utility 501 of my device when used with womens shoes.

The above has described my invention. Modifications of structure are obviously possible without alteration of principle. I do not wish to be limited in structure or function except within ing metal attachment member fixedly imbedded 65 therein, said member having apertures so arranged as to cooperate with the before mentioned expansible attachment members and the guide portions whereby a worn rubber heel may be quickly detached from the heel portion and 70 a new rubber heel replaced thereon.

ROY M. HARPER. 

